The State Government on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that it had complied with an order passed by the court on December 22 and sent a proposal to the Centre as well as Medical Council of India (MCI) to permit transfer of 144 second year MBBS students of the defunct Annai Medical College and Hospital at Pennalur in Sriperumbudur to any of the 22 government medical colleges in the State.
Justice N. Kirubakaran was informed that the State Government had decided not to go on appeal against the order passed by him and it forwarded the proposal on December 29. After recording the submission made by Special Government Pleader T.M. Pappaiah, the judge appreciated Advocate-General Vijay Narayan for having persuaded the government to accept the order in the interest of the students.
During the course of the hearing conducted through video-conferencing from the High Court Bench in Madurai, advocate V.P. Raman, representing MCI, told the court that the proposal sent by the State Government was received by the council on Monday. “We would comply with the court order and take a decision on the proposal within a week,” he said.
Hence, the judge adjourned further hearing on the case to January 10 for ascertaining the decision taken by MCI. In the meantime, since a dispute arose between the old management and new management of Annai Medical College over obtaining first year fees arrears to the tune of ₹23 lakh from 15 students, the judge ordered that the money be deposited in a bank account to the credit of the case pending in the court. In so far as the return of around ₹15 lakh to some of the students after obtaining aid provided by the State government to first generation graduates was concerned, the judge said a decision would be taken later. Immediately after deposit of ₹23 lakh in the bank account, the college was directed to issue transfer certificate and return all other documents such as original mark sheets obtained from the students at the time of admissions.
